Can diet help dogs with anxiety?

Incorporating a diet high in tryptophan and omega fatty acids from turkey or salmon can offer numerous benefits for anxious dogs. Alongside veterinary management, these super-amino acids help to further reduce anxiety and improve our beloved friend’s overall emotional well-being. 

Anxiety is a behavioural condition in dogs. Most behavioural conditions are due to chemical and functional abnormalities in the brain. It’s important to treat anxious pets with kindness; anxious dogs are distressed; they are not vindictive, jealous, spoiled or disobedient. The popular belief that dogs with separation anxiety have never “learned” to be left alone is incorrect. 

The ultimate goal for treating anxiety is through behavioural modification techniques to encourage calm, supported by feeding a high-quality diet, and often medically with antianxiety drugs for a minimum of 4 to 6 months.

What is tryptophan?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, required for maintaining many physiologic functions, including serotonin and melatonin synthesis. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood, reward, learning, memory and cognition (thought and experiences). Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm.

Formulated with Turkey for Anxious Dogs

Animal-based protein sources, such as salmon or turkey, contain high levels of tryptophan, and are recommended in dogs due to their other essential amino acid profiles. Proteins sourced from plants are not ideal for dogs, as plant proteins are limited in essential amino acids such as methionine, tryptophan and lysine. 

How tryptophan helps with anxiety

Tryptophan, found in salmon and turkey, can be beneficial for calming anxious minds, as it converts to serotonin (the good mood hormone) and contributes to the production of melatonin (a calming sleep hormone). Reports demonstrate that tryptophan reduces territorial aggression, dominance aggression and hyperactivity in dogs (DeNapoli 2000).

How do omega fatty acids help with anxiety?

Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, are important for visual and cognitive development. Puppies receiving high levels of DHA in their diet displayed traits (Rodrigues et al, 2023) such as:

• Faster learning

• Earlier socialisation

• Positive interactions with other pets and family members

• A better response to training

Socially well-adjusted dogs are less likely to develop generalised anxiety disorders. 

Incorporating tryptophan and omega fatty acids into your dog’s diet

Petzyo’s Salmon & Oceanfish recipe kibble contains the highest levels of tryptophan and combined EPA/DHA brain-nourishing fatty acids, making it our recommended choice for dogs struggling with anxiety. 

Our Chicken & Turkey dry dog food comes in at a close second for high tryptophan levels to help calm anxious dogs.

Banksy the Spoodle and her Wolfhound-cross friend Riley, happily eating dog ice cream. 

By addressing dietary needs with a focus on tryptophan and omega fatty acids, along with behaviour modification, dogs with anxiety can relax to enjoy a balanced and calm life. 

References

• DeNapoli, J.S. et al. (2000). Effect of dietary protein content and tryptophan supplementation on dominance aggression, territorial aggression, and hyperactivity in dogs. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 217 (4): 504–508. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/217/4/javma.2000.217.504.xml 
• Rosado, B. et al. Blood concentrations of serotonin, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone in aggressive dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 2010; 123(3-4):124-130. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159110000328?via%3Dihub 
• Rodrigues, RBA. et al. The Supplementation of Docosahexaenoic Acid-Concentrated Fish Oil Enhances Cognitive Function in Puppies. Animals. 2023; 13(18):2938. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182938